Healey plays Santa thwarting theft ring grinches

By Katie LannanSTATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

Wednesday

Dec 20, 2017 at 3:58 PMDec 21, 2017 at 7:23 PM

Standing in the loading dock of the state building that houses her office Wednesday morning, Attorney General Maura Healey appraised the Amazon packages she passed from state troopers to Boston police officers.

"That's a good one," Healey said, accepting a Skilsaw power tool from Boston Police Commissioner William Evans. "It's a lost art," she said as she looked at the Singer sewing machine a trooper handed her.

One by one, the law enforcement officials loaded into a van a stack of envelopes and boxes containing a printer, a food processor, a flat-screen TV, a Makita circular saw and various holiday gifts that were supposed to be delivered to Massachusetts homes, but instead got caught up in what authorities say was a theft ring that also targeted restaurants.

"We're talking about dozens and dozens of packages," Healey said. "We were surprised, I think, by the number of packages that we found, but as you can see it's everything from stereos, tools, grills, to an array of holiday items that were supposed to end up on people's doorsteps. Now, thanks to the good police work here, they will."

Speaking to reporters with Evans and Brookline Chief Daniel O'Leary, Healey announced the arrests of four people in connection with a string of break-ins at restaurants in Quincy and Taunton.

Evans called the operation "very sophisticated," and said the people involved were in and out of the restaurants they targeted in three minutes. In some cases, Evans said, they compromised safes and in others, "they just took the whole safe."

Boston residents Jason Geddes, 29, and Dharol Joyner, 33, were arraigned Tuesday in connection with a break-in and theft at a Quincy Wendy's on Dec. 14. Daniel Vo, 23, of Boston, and Edward Nugent, 55, of Weymouth, were also arraigned in connection with the break-ins.

In their search of Joyner's Dorchester home, investigators also uncovered unopened Amazon packages addressed to customers in Greater Boston, which they believe he stole while working part-time as an Amazon delivery contractor, according to Healey's office.

During the investigation, authorities also recovered a loaded gun, ammunition, a crowbar, a sledgehammer and other burglary tools, thousands of dollars of cash, ski masks, cellphones and other evidence, according to Healey's office.

Healey said the stolen packages have all been "appropriately cataloged" and are cleared to be released, and the other seized evidence will remain with law enforcement as part of an ongoing investigation.

Healey and several police officers loaded the recovered packages into a van Wednesday to return to Amazon. Healey said the items will be delivered to customers in time for Christmas.

"Thank god we stopped the ring of burglaries, but also got these presents back," Evans said.